[Solved][VIDEO] Bronco with 9k Miles Completely Died in the Middle of the Road. Inspection showed it was 100% OK a month ago

[Newbie]

Was also stranded in the desert due to a fuel pump and it about died on a left turn...4Runner it is.

Sucks ass to lose the power, 4.70, 35's, Front locker, and convertable; but also lost the anxiety of an untrustworthy vehicle.

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[Headsong]

Aggravating that you can't even get into the back....

 

[BadlandsA51]

I agree with other posters, loose bolts in Bat

Just this week I made a post about about how the 4x4 system died while I was off-roading on an easy trail. Unfortunately things just got worse with this vehicle.

I have a used Bronco Wildtrak I bought 3 months ago with 8K miles which now has 9K miles and it died in the middle of the road. I left home to go get tacos 2 miles from home, there were no error alerts and a full tank of gas. On my way back I got a message about a front camera error, then the big center screen turned off and all the buttons below it were not functioning and the only thing that was lit was the speedometer screen behind the steering wheel. When I got to a red light the car shutdown and turned into a brick! Like a REAL BRICK, it won't start, the external lights went off I hopped out and couldn't open the doors again because of no power. The emergency lights didn't blink when I pressed the remote. I was able to get back in using the physical key. However I couldn't open the trunk to get my tools since it won't open and I never saw a key hole to use the physical key. I was stuck and frustrated with cars hunking behind me and all this was at night.

I popped the hood to check the battery terminals to see if they were lose but as far as I could tell with my hands they were tight. I couldn't take them off and put on again to try to reset the car because as earlier stated my tools were in the locked trunk and the vehicle was now a brick with no electronics working. In my frustration I slammed the hood and the car restarted. I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP. SLAMMING THE HOOD IS WHAT GOT IT WORKING AGAIN. Here's a video of the brick on the road after things looked safe for me to film.

May be someone hacked this car and was messing with me or may be this Bronco is the WORST AND MOST EXPENSIVE car I have ever bought. A month ago I had taken this Bronco to the dealership because of a faulty O2 sensor which was replaced and afterwards they inspected the car and everything was OK including the battery.

I agree with other posts, very possibly the 3 screws in the Battery Junction Box or one of the grounds on the front fender/cowl not tight. Are there any add-on doo-dads on it. Some of the shops that do “upgrades” are real hacks and do terrible electrical work. If there are any lights, winch, or anything else added that’s the place to start looking. Don’t abandon the Bronco until you know the root cause behind the problem.

 

[Black Bronk]

Was also stranded in the desert due to a fuel pump and it about died on a left turn...4Runner it is.

Sucks ass to lose the power, 4.70, 35's, Front locker, and convertable; but also lost the anxiety of an untrustworthy vehicle.

This is where I am. I love so much about the car but I'm anxious if it'll even make it to the dealership for a checkup

 

[Black Bronk]

I agree with other posters, loose bolts in Bat
I agree with other posts, very possibly the 3 screws in the Battery Junction Box or one of the grounds on the front fender/cowl not tight. Are there any add-on doo-dads on it. Some of the shops that do “upgrades” are real hacks and do terrible electrical work. If there are any lights, winch, or anything else added that’s the place to start looking. Don’t abandon the Bronco until you know the root cause behind the problem.

Besides the custom wheels and sidesteps, everything on this Bronco is stock.

 

[Black Bronk]

This is where I am. I love so much about the car but I'm anxious ifit'll even make it to the dealership for a checkup

Check those three screws inside the under-hood fuse box because they can apparently cause all sorts of intermittent issues like this when they're loose.

I checked the three screws in the fusebox this morning and they are tight! Same with battery terminals. Haven't checked the ground yet to see if anything looks off

 

[Black Bronk]

It is a FORD, found on road dead... lol Yeah, sounds like an electrical issue. When you hit the hood, it seems to have made the bad spot connect again. English cars used to be notoriously bad at this kind of thing. Maybe they still are?

If you really want to get rid of your Bronco, look at the Suburus with the extra ground clearance. You could do a whole lot with those, and they are pretty good cars. The Rivian trucks also seem to do well off road, too.

I considered Rivian before going with the Bronco. I have an irrational (or rational) fear I'd be extrocuted to death while trying to cross a river in an electric considering the high voltages this electric cars use

 

[Black Bronk]

Salvage Tittle?

Nope, car fax was spot clean.

 

[HeliPilot]

I would trace wiring for the auto start stop if slamming the hood caused it to re-engage. Maybe a loose connector. It may be shorting out at/near that starter or the solenoid.

 

[BigMeatsBronco]

Just this week I made a post about about how the 4x4 system died while I was off-roading on an easy trail. Unfortunately things just got worse with this vehicle.

I have a used Bronco Wildtrak I bought 3 months ago with 8K miles which now has 9K miles and it died in the middle of the road. I left home to go get tacos 2 miles from home, there were no error alerts and a full tank of gas. On my way back I got a message about a front camera error, then the big center screen turned off and all the buttons below it were not functioning and the only thing that was lit was the speedometer screen behind the steering wheel. When I got to a red light the car shutdown and turned into a brick! Like a REAL BRICK, it won't start, the external lights went off I hopped out and couldn't open the doors again because of no power. The emergency lights didn't blink when I pressed the remote. I was able to get back in using the physical key. However I couldn't open the trunk to get my tools since it won't open and I never saw a key hole to use the physical key. I was stuck and frustrated with cars hunking behind me and all this was at night.

I popped the hood to check the battery terminals to see if they were lose but as far as I could tell with my hands they were tight. I couldn't take them off and put on again to try to reset the car because as earlier stated my tools were in the locked trunk and the vehicle was now a brick with no electronics working. In my frustration I slammed the hood and the car restarted. I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP. SLAMMING THE HOOD IS WHAT GOT IT WORKING AGAIN. Here's a video of the brick on the road after things looked safe for me to film.

May be someone hacked this car and was messing with me or may be this Bronco is the WORST AND MOST EXPENSIVE car I have ever bought. A month ago I had taken this Bronco to the dealership because of a faulty O2 sensor which was replaced and afterwards they inspected the car and everything was OK including the battery.

does your bronco have the hoss 3.0 package by chance?

 

[andersman02]

As stated I'd bet it's a loose ground or connection in the engine Bay, would bet $$ on it. Would be a bitch to diag as a tech if it's intermittent.

Could just wait for it to happen again and pop the hood, wiggling things until it starts.

Before that though I'd double check all grounds and connections you can see in the engine Bay

 

[Black Bronk]

does your bronco have the hoss 3.0 package by chance?

No, HOSS 2.0. I wasn't aware 2022 Wildtraks had the option for HOSS 3.0 till you asked and I did some digging

 

[da_jokker]

No, HOSS 2.0. I wasn't aware 2022 Wildtraks had the option for HOSS 3.0 till you asked and I did some digging

Yeah HOSS 3 came out as an option near the end of 2022 (after I got my VIN)...and became mandatory for 2023 WTs

 

[Keerplunk]

Not sure if the 3 screws in the fuse box hold the plugs in from the bottom but I think after checking your grounds it would be worth it to make sure the plugs in the bottom of the fuse box are tight maybe even unplug then plug them back in. look at the pins as well and make sure none are "pushed" into the connector. I am pretty sure you have a loose ground at the very least as your symptoms kinda dictate that.

 

[Black Bronk]

Thanks for all the help, finally found the issue was the positive terminal and had it replaced.

The Bronco died again but this time it was infront of my house so I was more patient with it. Instead of slamiing the hood, which "fixed" it last time, I opened it and began randomly tapping various spots untill I hit the positive terminal and it started again. The bolts on it were as tight as they could be but when I pulled it it came right off the battery. Took it to the dealership and they noticed the issue with the positive terminal was that the ring was larger than expected so even when the bolt was its tightest it was still loose. The swapped it out and its been more than a month now without it dying or any other weird errors.

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